THE FUTURE OF EXTENDED REALITY: TOP AR & VR TRENDS OF 2024 REVEALED

Immersive technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) continue advancing across media, industry, defense, health and retail sectors. The year 2024 promises accelerated adoption from hardware and connectivity improvements, spatial computing, computer vision, and location-based AR services.

Powered by next-generation mobile processors and graphics units, new VR devices can now display nearly 8K resolution per eye, surpassing human visual limits to enable stunningly realistic environments. Lighter headsets feature binaural 3D audio for heightened immersion. Tetherless designs like the Meta Quest Pro allow free movement. Real-world interactivity using front-facing cameras and hand tracking addresses previous isolation issues.

Global 5G deployments also unlock streaming capabilities for data-heavy immersive experiences by offering higher bandwidth, lower latency and heightened device density. Since intensive graphics rendering occurs over the cloud, ultra-speed 5G networks send terabytes of processed imaging data to respond instantly to user movements or area scans.

Emerging location-based AR games utilize georeferenced tagging to anchor location-specific game items within cultural sites or landmarks. Players employ AR viewers on phones or wearables to discover virtual assets hidden in physical areas, challenging friends to collect items or claim real-world territory. Popular apps like Niantic’s Ingress show mainstream appeal.

Meanwhile computer vision algorithms empower AI to understand space and environment through images and videos. The Unity 3D engine now infers depth and complex lighting conditions within scenes to blend real and virtual objects more seamlessly using techniques like occlusion. The engine also offers native hand tracking for controller-free operation. Over 100 million AR content devices utilize Unity.

As a precursor to AR/VR, spatial computing is gaining traction for productivity tasks by uniting shared 2D and 3D digital content within 3D workrooms where remote colleagues can co-create through natural interfaces. Imagine Zoom meetings within 3D holographic conference rooms. Microsoft Mesh and Meta Horizon Workrooms represent early platforms in this realm, while startups like Spatial offer niche functionality.

From cloud connectivity and intellectual interfaces to expanding offerings like location AR, underpinning technologies are maturing to drive mass adoption in commercial settings over coming years. As tech giants pour billions into metaverse development, the new paradigm is primed for wide everyday business usage within this decade.